I've just recently asked AT&T to unlock my iPhone 3GS. It took them 5 days after notification that they would do it but I finally got the famous message in iTunes "congrats your iPhone is unlocked". *But it's not.

I've deleted everything, backed up everything, synced everything in every order they tell me to. I have wiped the phone more times than I care to admit to. *I've even uninstalled iTunes (and all other Apple software for that matter) downloaded a fresh copy today and reinstalled the software. *I keep getting the Congrats message every time I repeat the various processes, but then I still show AT&T 12.0 in my carrier and I can't get to the APN settings to get my Internet working.

I've just recently asked AT&T to unlock my iPhone 3GS. It took them 5 days after notification that they would do it but I finally got the famous message in iTunes "congrats your iPhone is unlocked". *But it's not.

I've deleted everything, backed up everything, synced everything in every order they tell me to. I have wiped the phone more times than I care to admit to. *I've even uninstalled iTunes (and all other Apple software for that matter) downloaded a fresh copy today and reinstalled the software. *I keep getting the Congrats message every time I repeat the various processes, but then I still show AT&T 12.0 in my carrier and I can't get to the APN settings to get my Internet working.

Ive tried it with 3 different SIM cards. First with the new one from Straighttalk, an old one from my blackberry, and finally the original one that was in the phone when I got it. And always the same thing!

I would have no problems paying for an unlock but I have to believe that I would just get to the same point where the phone somehow simply refuses to take the instruction to unlock.

I do need to mention that that it works perfectly making calls, texting and on wifi.

Can you think of any other way, like hacktivating it? I have read the forum warnings about trying to unlock/jailbreak my phone because of its serial number, baseband and OS. The only thing I didn't understand is that my phone's model is a xx135, but the warnings go on to say that Apple only made 8 gigs after that date and mine is a 16. The last thing I want to do is brick the damn thing, but I can't help but think I'm missing something here.

I'd even be willing to pay AppleCare their $30 fee if they could fix this, but I don't want to spend good money after bad.

Your phone is unlocked. You just need to put in straight talks apn most likely to get your data working.
Do not go messing with hactivating or any of the jailbreak unlocks. They will not help you and could make things worse.
As far as seeing AT&T in your settings you are technically still using their towers since that is what straight talk does. So unless you switch to Tmobile or something it will still say AT&T.

Your phone is unlocked. You just need to put in straight talks apn most likely to get your data working.
Do not go messing with hactivating or any of the jailbreak unlocks. They will not help you and could make things worse.
As far as seeing AT&T in your settings you are technically still using their towers since that is what straight talk does. So unless you switch to Tmobile or something it will still say AT&T.

Eureka. Cheers Simon. Explains why on my UK iPhone that whilst using my GiffGaff SIM it says "O2 - UK" and O2 12.0 in the carrier field. It does actually make perfect sense when I realised tonight that GiffGaff uses the O2 network exclusively for services.

Makes sense tha t I should be able to just come in on the AT&T tower. So what am I missing?

Phone sez "could not activate cellular data network. You are not subscribed to a cellular data service."

Stupid phone.

Call straight talk or email them and tell them your issue. They are the ones that can tell you either what apn to put into your cellular data settings or how to install a custom profile from them to get it working.

The Following User Says Thank You to Simon For This Useful Post:

Simon,
You are right on the mark. I actually didn't understand what a custom APN is. But I see in your signature some additional links to some basics you have written about this new world I have just entered.

Again, thanks for your help and I'm looking forward to my remedial education on jailbreaking, Redsnow (that has a totally different formal meaning where I call home in Colorado) and what all these SN-somethings and tiny umbrellas do.

Oh, signal strength is identical to what my BlackBerry showed before the switch so I'm right back on the ATT tower.

Now I get to wait around for my daughter to get my help buying her new iPhone 5 so I can get her 4S.